User:Henrickson/Aurora (aircraft)
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Aurora (also credited as the SR-91 Aurora) is the popular name for a hypothesised United States reconnaissance aircraft, believed by some[who?] to be capable of hypersonic flight (speeds of over Mach 5). According to the hypothesis, the Aurora was developed in the 1980s or 1990s as a replacement for the aging and expensive SR-71 Blackbird. A British Ministry of Defence report, released under the Freedom of Information Act, from May 2006 refers to USAF priority plans to produce a Mach 4-6 highly supersonic vehicle.[1] In September 2007, DARPA and the USAF signed a memo of understanding[2] to build a Mach-6 unmanned aircraft called "Blackswift" under the Force Application and Launch from Continental United States (Falcon)[3] program, but that does not explain the earlier reports. It is believed by some that the Aurora project was canceled due to a shift from spyplanes to high-tech unmanned aerial vehicles and reconnaissance satellites which can do the same job as a spyplane, but with less risk of casualties or loss of highly expensive, sensitive equipment.
Aurora | |
---|---|
A flight simulator model of an artist's concept of the Aurora aircraft | |
Role | Strategic Reconnaissance Aircraft |
Manufacturer | Unknown; most likely the Lockheed Advanced Development Company (alleged) |
First flight | 1989 (earliest alleged observation) |
Retired | Unknown |
Status | Unknown |
Primary users | U.S. Air Force (alleged) Central Intelligence Agency (alleged) Defense Intelligence Agency (alleged) |
Number built | Unknown |
Developed from | SR-71 Blackbird (allegedly), North American X-15 (allegedly) |